18:55, July 14, 2010

A ceremony was held to mark the effect date for three China-Vietnam land-border demarcation agreements Wednesday, and the agreements are considered to have created a legal basis for the two countries to manage their 1,300-kilometer-long border.

The ceremony, which took place at Tianbao, a land port in southwest China's Yunnan Province, was attended by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun and his Vietnamese counterpart Ho Xuan Son.

The agreements, which were signed by China and Vietnam last November, include a protocol on demarcation of the land border, an agreement on a land-border management system, and an agreement on land ports and their management.

With the agreements taking effect Wednesday, conditions are favorable for pushing forward the Sino-Vietnamese strategic partnership in a comprehensive manner, and a foundation is laid for long-term stability and prosperity in the border regions, a press release from Chinese Foreign Ministry commented.

"Vietnam and China will exercise their sovereignty and management according to the newly demarcated boundary line," said the press release, "Bilateral cooperation in border affairs will enter a new stage."

"The two sides will make concerted efforts to turn the land border into a bridge for increased friendship between the two peoples, bringing benefits to the two nations, especially the residents living in the border areas, " it said.

China and Vietnam are commemorating the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties this year, which has also been designated as the Year of China-Vietnam Friendship.